Apple TV+ relies on a few hit shows to drive viewership, unlike Netflix's broad catalog engagement. This model, similar to premium cable, faces challenges in the streaming era, though Apple's aggregator role and device ecosystem offer unique advantages.
AI video tools are shifting from generating short clips to comprehensive production agents. Companies like Luma AI and Google are developing systems that assist in the entire filmmaking process, from concept to final video, aiming to improve efficiency and consistency in Hollywood.
This is Lowpass by Janko Roettgers, a newsletter on the ever-evolving intersection of tech and entertainment, syndicated just for The Verge subscribers once a week. Netflix has been building a new internal studio called INKubator that aims to use AI to produce short-form animated content: The streamer is hiring for a wide variety of roles, […]
Former Apple Vision Pro developer Mark Drummond has launched Pixi, an iPhone AR app that lets users send interactive animated characters to friends via iMessage or WhatsApp. The app, launching in coming weeks, uses on-device AI to detect facial expressions and recognize objects, allowing characters to interact with recipients' environments. Drummond argues that mobile devices outperform headsets like Vision Pro for AR storytelling due to accessibility, compute power, and social sharing capabilities.
Twenty-five years after the original iPod launched, a nostalgia-driven revival is underway. Google searches for MP3 players tripled since last fall, and a Reddit community for digital audio players draws 90,000 weekly visitors. Startup founder Tom Kell is launching Sleevenote, a $200 device with a 4-inch square screen that prioritizes album art and full album playback over playlists and algorithms. The device targets the millions who buy music on Bandcamp and similar platforms, capitalizing on streaming backlash and subscription fatigue.
